This interview was meant to select suitable disciples to accompany Elder He on his upcoming work trip to the Origin Lake Sect – a faction that was subordinate to their Black Tortoise Sect.
As part of the entourage, it was only natural that one should not be too weak in terms of combat capabilities. Otherwise, these weak disciples just might end up getting looked down upon by members of their subordinate faction.
Should that really happen, it would reflect extremely badly on their Black Tortoise Sect!
Thus no matter how one looked at it, this test that forced interviewees to face an opponent like the three tailed fox demon was meant to sieve out such undeserving disciples.
Zhao Yunxiao was sure that most other interviewees would have moved the moment they encountered the fox demon, be it to attack, defend, or to escape.
However, Zhao Yunxiao did neither of the three.
Zhao Yunxiao maintained his smile and took a step forward.
Grr-!
The fox demon took a step forward as well and snarled in response, not hiding its displeasure about Zhao Yunxiao’s advance.
Nevertheless, Zhao Yunxiao completely ignored its aggression and continued walking forward.
One step.
Two steps.
By the third step, Zhao Yunxiao was already within striking distance of the fox demon, yet he advanced unabated.
And the fox demon continued to growl at Zhao Yunxiao without attacking.
One continued walking, and one continued watching.
Just like that, Zhao Yunxiao directly walked past the fox demon and started paving his way through the tall grass, slowly increasing the distance between them.
Zhao Yunxiao did not even turn his head once, keeping his gaze straight ahead as he continued on his path.
Leaving his back wide open to any attacks from the fox demon like this would definitely seem like a suicidal move in most people’s eyes, but Zhao Yunxiao was confident in his decision.
And for good reason as well.
After the Myriad Fields Pagoda had been decided as the interview venue, it became obvious to all that interviewees would be subjected to illusion tests.
Unfortunately, the issue with illusion tests was that there were endless possibilities with regards to how the test could play out.
Because of this, all disciples aspiring to pass the interview could only try to prepare themselves in a general manner.
There were some who started training their endurance levels, while some started doubling up on their combat training in preparation for a combat-type illusion test.
But unlike most others, Zhao Yunxiao chose not to do any last minute training like that.
Instead, Zhao Yunxiao started looking into Elder He’s direct disciple – Han Xing.
As an elder of the Black Tortoise Sect, it was unlikely that Elder He would have the time to handle something like the test preparations personally.
Since that was the case, he would surely delegate the work to his trusted dsiciples. And among his direct disciples, there was no one more reliable than Han Xing.
As a core disciples of the Black Tortoise Sect, Han Xing was known to be extremely talented.
However, this was nothing special as the same thing applied to all core disciples.
How else would they have become a core disciple of the sect?
Herein lay the problem with Han Xing – apart from his talent, almost nothing was known about him as he maintained a rather low profile.
If not because Zhao Yunxiao worked so many sect jobs, he would have found it troublesome to gather any extra information about Han Xing as well.
And even with his connections, Zhao Yunxiao had to expend a considerable amount of effort and owe quite a few favours before he finally managed to obtain some useful information on Han Xing.
Three years ago, Han Xing was utterly defeated by a demon while on a sect mission.
Despite only barely escaping with his life, Han Xing was not discouraged by the experience. Instead, he started studying ways to defeat this demon so as to take revenge in the future.
Unsurprisingly, this was a fox demon.
After hearing about this matter, Zhao Yunxiao immediately started reading up on all the resources he could get his hands on regarding fox demons. After all the studying that he had done, he could almost be considered half an expert when it came to fox demons now!
The three tailed fox demon behind him might have been snarling at him, but the fact that it did not pounce at him from the get go was enough evidence that it had its reservations about Zhao Yunxiao.
And when a fox demon had its reservations about a potential enemy, it would feel even more intimidated when the other party showed no fear whatsoever.
Given the nonchalant way that Zhao Yunxiao acted, the fox demon naturally thought that Zhao Yunxiao thought lightly of itself.
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In that case, there was no way that the fox demon would initiate an attack on him without being provoked.
Zhao Yunxiao continued walking forward, not allowing himself to show any signs of concern about the threat behind him.
Before long, his surroundings started to change.
The golden fields around him faded to black, and new colours returned.
Zhao Yunxiao finally let out a sigh of relief when he took in the familiar sight of the Myriad Fields Pagoda lobby.
Looking around him, Zhao Yunxiao could see that everyone was now seated cross legged in the lobby, their eyes closed in concentration.
It seemed that the moment they entered the illusion, everyone naturally settled into a cross legged seating position, himself included.
Judging from how most of them were still in that state, he was one of the first to clear the illusion test.
Zhao Yunxiao’s gaze stopped on the sign that was hanging above the door that led to the next level.
[Proceed to the next level once you are done.]
Heh.
Zhao Yunxiao stood up quietly and walked past the rest of his fellow disciples, through the door and up the stairs.
“Come in,” Rui Tang’s voice answered when Zhao Yunxiao knocked on the door.
Zhao Yunxiao did as he was told, entering the second level of the Myriad Fields Pagoda where Rui Tang smiled at him from behind a desk.
“Disciple Zhao Yunxiao reporting to Senior Rui,” Zhao Yunxiao clasped his fists as greetings.
“Have a seat,” Rui Tang gestured to the chair opposite him, and Zhao Yunxiao naturally took the seat. “Congratulations, Zhao Yunxiao. I’m not sure if you realised, but you are the first to clear the test.”
“Thank you, Senior Rui. I might have gotten lucky this time,” Zhao Yunxiao suppressed the smirk that was about to appear on his face.
“So, I understand that you didn’t clear the test through defeating your arranged opponent?” Rui Tang added solemnly. “Using a trick to avoid combat altogether despite knowing full well that this is a test... you really are something, aren’t you?”
Zhao Yunxiao furrowed his brows a little, but regained his calm immediately after. “We were never told that we have to clear the earlier test with combat.”
“You’re right. I never specified the exact method through which you have to clear the test,” Rui Tang nodded. “So in your opinion, given the fact that this is part of the interview for Elder He’s trip to the Origin Lake Sect, what would we be looking for by designing the test in this manner? What will be the ideal way of clearing the test?”
Zhao Yunxiao’s eyes sharpened. “I believe that the test has been specially designed to incorporate different ways to clear the test, and that there is no one ideal way of doing so.”
“Why do you think so?” Rui Tang crossed his arms.
Zhao Yunxiao did not hesitate to answer.
“As Senior Rui mentioned, this interview was meant to select suitable disciples to accompany Elder He on his upcoming work trip to the Origin Lake Sect. While combat strength is a trait that an accompanying disciple should ideally have, it is not the only important trait.”
“Mm, continue.”
“Regarding what you mentioned earlier, Senior Rui, pardon me but I would have to disagree with you on one point,” Zhao Yunxiao continued. “What I used was not a trick. The knowledge required to understand the way to avoid combat, as well as the composure to follow through on this method – that is what I used to clear the test. In fact, other than combat or what I did, I am guessing that there are other ways to clear the test as well, am I right, Senior Rui?”
Rui Tang made eye contact with the young man for a good few moments before nodding. “Noted on what you think. Let’s move on then, do you know what this whole trip is about?”
“Of course,” Zhao Yunxiao nodded. “This is an annual work trip to the Origin Lake Sect. The official reason for the trip is to conduct a cultivation lecture for the disciples of the Origin Lake Sect to spread the teachings of our Black Tortoise Sect. As for the unofficial reason, it is to forge greater ties and...”
***
Lu Zhiying sat at a stone table with her head resting in the palm of her hands, quietly watching the door of the Myriad Fields Pagoda that had remained shut ever since Zhao Yunxiao entered.
There were numerous other disciples in the area.
Some were waiting for their turn to enter the pagoda, some had already entered and were discussing their experience with their peers, while some others were like Lu Zhiying – here out of pure curiosity.
From time to time, there would be some of these disciples whose gazes would linger on her for a few moments longer than normal, especially for male disciples.
Some of them considered going forward to approach her, but everyone quickly changed their minds after spotting the figure seated at the same stone table as her.
Despite the rough stubble on his face, the large man gave off a refined aura while reading the scroll in his hand.
Occasionally, his gaze would shift onto the bored Lu Zhiying as well. But unlike most of the other disciples, his gaze was one filled with genuine curiosity.
Most people found him intimidating, so it was rare that someone would willingly sit beside him, not to mention show absolutely no signs of nervousness.
As he was watching Lu Zhiying, the latter suddenly sat up straight, causing him to quickly return his gaze to his scroll.
“Senior Martial Brother Zhao!” Lu Zhiying waved towards the opened door of the Myriad Fields Pagoda.
Zhao Yunxiao was the first among his batch to complete the interview and leave the Myriad Fields Pagoda.
Relieved that the interview was over, Zhao Yunxiao had only just stepped out of the door when he heard the familiar clear voice of his new junior martial sister calling out to him.
“Junior Martial S-” Zhao Yunxiao turned towards the source of the voice and momentarily froze. “G-Greetings, Senior Martial Brother Hua!”
He recognised the man seated beside Lu Zhiying with a single look.
Hua Shui, one of the more influential inner disciples.
Not only did he have a huge sway among the inner disciples, he was also known for being strict about order and hierarchy.
No matter where he went, that intimidating aura of his would naturally suppress everyone in the area. Outer disciples like Zhao Yunxiao seldom dared to even meet his eye!
Hua Shui looked up from his scroll, “Are you here to interview for Elder He’s trip?”
“Yes, I have just completed the interview,” Zhao Yunxiao reported in a rather stiff manner.
“Oh, you know this guy?” Lu Zhiying asked Zhao Yunxiao in surprise.
Zhao Yunxiao: “...”
Can you not call him ‘this guy’ when he is right there listening to us?
Lu Zhiying turned around before hearing Zhao Yunxiao’s reply, and clasped her fists towards the man seated beside her. “Greetings as well, Senior Martial Brother Hua!”
Hua Shui paused for a moment before nodding towards Lu Zhiying, then turned his gaze back to his scroll. “Be at ease. I am just waiting for someone here.”
“Let’s go, let’s go!” Unwilling to walk over to where Hua Shui was seated, Zhao Yunxiao mouthed silently while gesturing for Lu Zhiying to come over to him instead.
“Well then, farewell Senior Martial Brother Hua! Hope the person you are waiting for arrive soon!” Lu Zhiying cheerfully waved towards Hua Shui before running over to Zhao Yunxiao. “Hey, why are you not waiting for me!”
Hua Shui looked up from his scroll at the two departing youngsters, a faint smile growing on his face.
What an interesting pair of youngsters.